Grains of Wheat
by Fialleril
Summary: A place for songs and poems, both lighthearted and sorrowful. New: 'Mount Doom': An excerpt from the Rohirric lay of Frodo of the Nine Fingers. Written in the style of Beowulf.
1. Sam's Song

Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR.

This little piece was intended as something written by Sam at around the age of 18. It's rather quaint, but so I think many hobbit songs would be.

**  
Sam's Song**

I heard a tale of silver ships  
And Elves with shining eyes  
And Oliphaunts and orcs with whips  
And stars that sail the skies

I heard a tale of ladies fair  
And bright jewels of living flame  
How Lúthien made a web of hair  
And Beren won his fame

But fairer than the stars that sail  
And flowers in the spring that rise  
Fairer than the fairest tale  
Is the smile in my Rosie's eyes.


	2. Songs in the Dark

Disclaimer: I've included the song Sam sings in the tower of Cirith Ungol for easy reference. It is Tolkien's, and not mine! (Though I'm sure you all knew that, but just to be safe...) The other is meant to be Frodo's reply: Tolkien writes that Sam heard a song in reply to his, but he does not say what the song was. Because Sam's song points out his hopeful nature so strongly, I chose to make these examinations of character, and have given them the hobbits' Elvish titles: Harthad Uluithiad, or Hope Unquenchable (Sam), and Bronwe athan Harthad, Endurance beyond Hope (Frodo). You can find those titles in 'Sauron Defeated'.

**  
Songs in the Dark**

**Harthad Uluithiad**  
_Hope Unquenchable_

In western lands beneath the Sun  
the flowers may rise in Spring,  
the trees may bud, the waters run,  
the merry finches sing.

Or there maybe 'tis cloudless night  
and swaying beeches bear  
the Elven-stars as jewels white  
amid their branching hair.

Though here at journey's end I lie  
in darkness buried deep,  
beyond all towers strong and high,  
beyond all mountains steep,

above all shadows rides the Sun  
and Stars for ever dwell:  
I will not say the Day is done,  
nor bid the Stars farewell.

**  
Bronwe athan Harthad**  
_Endurance beyond Hope_

Though light of Sun and glow of Star  
are far beyond me here,  
I'll sing of lands I've known afar,  
I'll sing of lost friends dear.

I'll sing aloud songs in the night,  
though shadows low'r round me,  
for Lórien still fair with light,  
where grows the golden tree.

Though here the Stars are faded fast  
and weary falls the night,  
I offer all hope at the last,  
for joy remains in light:

though all be ashes in the air  
and blood beneath the lash,  
my last mem'ry of aught that's fair  
I yield to fire and ash.


	3. Love

Disclaimer: The usual. It's all Professor Tolkien's.  
Summary: Well, after 'The Wounded Hand' I was in an Elanor mood. :) Elanor Gamgee falls asleep on the Hill above Bag End, and in a dream learns the meaning of love.

**  
Love**

I lay upon a green green hill,  
a-staring at the sky  
and sang a song of days long past  
as clouds went drifting by.

The Sun went down, the Moon arose  
and stars flamed in the sky—  
I lay upon that green green hill  
as dreams went drifting by.

The Moon sailed on across the sky  
but there before my eyes  
one dream there stopped, and sat with me—  
both beautiful and wise.

He sat beside me on the hill  
with quiet eyes and fair  
I might have thought a star had come  
to me from heaven's air.

I questioned him on many things  
in earth and sea and skies  
and all the ways that folk must go  
when shadow o'er them lies.

Why the highest should suffer most  
and where the answer lies  
for sorrow in the tales I love  
and tears in Sam-dad's eyes.

He looked at me and said 'Dear child,  
'tis love that suffers so.  
And love it is that makes green fields  
rise from out the fallow.

Deep love it is that takes the weight  
that others fear to bear,  
and lights anew the darkened sky  
and makes all sorrows fair.'

Then wondering I took his hand  
and marveled not to find  
that there were only four fingers  
with my own five entwined.


	4. Mount Doom

Disclaimer: None of it's mine.  
Note: This piece is meant as a part of the Rohirric lay of Frodo of the Nine Fingers. I tried to write it in something of style of Beowulf, which was rather difficult, but definitely worthwile. There should be caesurae (breaks in the middle of each line), but the formatting wouldn't cooperate...

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**Mount Doom**

Fire-bright, gasping, the dark ring-hold shakes,  
trembles in moorings, shadow dark hall,  
abode of flames. Fiends fall shrieking,  
ancient night-flyers, hateful to men,  
dread death-spirits, pierced by fire.  
Weary they fall, the wanderers,  
hard-driven, unyielding after mighty deeds,  
great glory won, the praise of kings,  
honor from spear-lords. Alone, broken they lie,  
victory-defeated, the little hill-folk;  
nine-fingered Frodo, the many-sorrowed,  
fair in loss, in deadly ring-wound,  
most noble lord, elven-bright way-farer,  
and Samwise Stout-heart, best of companions—  
no man may say that when dark the road  
he acted faithlessly, broke oath with his sworn lord—  
truest of thanes, most worthy of honor,  
of many rich gifts. Few brave warriors,  
great sword-thanes, would have dared that deed,  
feuding with Sauron, dark shadow-dweller,  
strong in sorceries, dread servant of Morgoth—  
a halfling felled him, a hole-dweller brought him low,  
humblest of All-father's creatures. Now fallen they lie,  
the fearless halflings, doom-shadowed,  
ringed with flame, awaiting death, soul-release,  
brave in the face of fate, cruel fire.  
All-father saw, the One gave heed,  
abandoned not the ring-bearers, his dear children,  
to bitter fate in fire, flaming earth-wrack.  
Through the lofty airs, bright-winged, war-brave,  
the eagles came, mighty high-flyers, fierce in air,  
bearing with them Gandalf, strong in wisdom,  
wise in war-strength; he slew the fire-terror,  
giant shadow-stalker, ancient enemy of Durin's race.  
Now he came hastening, riding on the wind, eager,  
seeking the halflings, fire-weary, shadow-cloaked,  
strong in weakness. Down swept Gwaihir,  
wind-swift, silent in air, mighty sky-rider,  
and down came Landroval, in flight no less swift,  
skilled lord of upper airs. They lifted the halflings,  
cradled in claws, borne out of the fire,  
bitter ash-heap, and raised in air cold and clear,  
weary and wounded, borne away in honor,  
princes of the west, to well-earned rest.


End file.
